


I don't want to be a Jedi

by RedHatMeg



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Spoilers for The Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28169247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedHatMeg/pseuds/RedHatMeg
Summary: "And so, when they've finally found Ahsoka Tano and Grogu got to finally tell his story to someone who would understand him, he told her about all the pain he has experienced and all of what Din have done to him… but he also told her one other thing:I don't want to be a Jedi.I want to be a Mandalorian."SPOILERS FOR SEASONS ONE AND TWO
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda
Comments: 4
Kudos: 140





	I don't want to be a Jedi

**Author's Note:**

> So I've watched the season finale and I have Thoughts, guys. Frankly I was thinking about writing this fic for quite some time, because there was this idea of Grogu wanting to become Mandalorian and not a Jedi, but the finale kind of ruined the whole original concept for this one-shot.
> 
> But after seeing the finale and the actual scene of Luke Skywalker coming for Grogu, I decided to not abandon this fic, but rework it a little. The result is the way you see it.
> 
> Please, leave a review.

He never asked for being Force-sensitive. It was just something his species were born with. Therefore when his abilities finally manifested, he was sent to Jedi Temple to train.

It wasn’t half bad – he had friends and people who cared about him… Still, as he was prepared for this path, he was aware it required sacrifices, and one of them was to rid of all attachments – familiar, romantic or otherwise – and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to do it; if he wanted to forget about his family and about the life he once had. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to forget about his friends and teachers in Jedi Order either and he was taught that he might have to do it one day if situation requested for it.

It’s not like he didn’t understand why it had to be that way. They’ve told him how dangerous the Force can be with someone who’s judgement was clouded by anger or fear; and how Jedi had to care about all living things and about all civilizations equally, and not focus on certain tribe or person especially. But while he was getting old and while his masters and friends in the Order were getting old too, he was still, more or less, a baby. His species were aging at different pace and while his classmates were growing and maturing, he was still a youngling – in body and mind. If he was going to become a Jedi Knight, he had a long way to go. And he wasn’t quite sure if he wanted to become a Jedi.

Then one day, everything changed – the Temple was attacked, the children slaughtered, but he was spared from the massacre thanks to some friendly face who smuggled him away from the danger. But the loss was immense. He felt it within his core – all those lives lost to a Jedi gone mad. The lives of friends and mentors and all the good things that was in the Temple. It was the first act of horrid, senseless violence he saw and it traumatized him. And it was only the beginning.

The next couple of decades was clouded with darkness and loneliness, and the realization of how horrible the universe could be, especially for a youngling such as him. Moreover, since he was one of the few surviving Force users, there were people out to get him. Oh sure, there were people who were taking care of him too, but they were either abandoning him sooner or later, or they were using him to their ends. So he learned to hide his powers for survival.

And then, one day he was found by a droid… and by _him_ – a big, armor-clad man who – upon hearing the droid wanting to hurt the child in front of him – decided to shoot the droid. And then they were staring at each other – the man and the child. And Grogu could sense underneath all this armor that the man saw in him a defenseless youngling – there was an urge to protect him, to take care of him; an urge that, perhaps, stemmed from man’s own experiences but Grogu soon realized also something else – Mandalorians were just that way.

From the moment the Mandalorian took the kid under his wing, Grogu felt like darkness was slowly moving away – all thanks to the nameless Mandalorian who, while travelling with the kid, was doing his best to keep him safe. There was, of course, the moment when Grogu thought that he will be abandoned again; that after all those days he was just an asset, another bounty to be collected… but soon the man came back to save him. This time Grogu sensed for the first time the sheer ferocity of the Mandalorian; the ferocity that was combination of worry, anger and fierce protectiveness of a youngling he grew to care for the little time they’ve spent together. And when everything seemed to be lost, other Mandalorians came to their aid and helped them escape. It costed them their home but they didn’t seem to mind – because their code said that a youngling should be protected. Grogu found Mandalorians very weird but, in some odd way, very noble.

And then, when he and the man were on the run, he witnessed his guardian doing noble things. He had a sense of honor, he also was capable of showing simple gratitude and often used diplomacy and not violence to get what he needed. He was fiercely loyal to his creed – he never let anyone see his face, which was oddly admirable (yet Grogu couldn’t help but wonder what was underneath this helmet).

But most importantly he was doing everything to keep his charge safe. Grogu was probably a little biased, but he thought it spoke volumes about the goodness of the Mandalorian – he was driven not by greed, power or anger, but this fierce protectiveness of someone who couldn’t defend themselves. And sometimes this protectiveness was extending to others, like that time with villagers – he not only helped them defend their home but he also decided to leave once he realized that even putting the kid in the village, would mean harm to the peaceful people living there.

Even though, they were constantly on the run, there was something really tempting in life with just the two of them on _Razor Crest_. They found each other in this big galaxy and, over time, the Mandalorian became more like a father to Grogu – a big, strong figure who also was caring and resourceful. (He was also leaving the boy alone for a long periods of time, but this was mostly because there was no one he could trust with him.) Grogu could feel like a kid again around him, because he knew the Mandalorian considered him just that – a kid. Not a Jedi, not a weapon, not a test subject, but a kid. And Grogu liked being a kid for a while. He liked touching everything, playing with a ball and using the Force for mundane things. He also liked that he was loved.

But he also realized that the Mandalorian wasn’t so invincible and sometimes needed help too. Grogu realized it way back when the man was delivering him to the Client and had to get an egg for the Jawas to recover his starship. Grogu saved the Mandalorian’s life by using Force on the creature guarding the egg, and he also tried to heal the Mandalorian’s wounds, but the man was putting him back in the prim, not realizing that Grogu wanted to help.

Finally Greef Karga proposed a deal that would mark an end to constant running once and for all. Frankly, the Mandalorian wasn’t alone – not only did Greef Karga joined the siege against the Client, but also did Cara, Kuiil and the droid that tried to kill Grogu, but was now reprogrammed by Kuiil. Honestly, it was very nice that the man and the child could count on others during this dangerous endeavor, although Grogu for a moment thought that Cara was hurting his guardian and he used a Force choke to protect him, until the Mandalorian told him to stop. For the past few weeks the man was betrayed by supposed allies couple of times, so it was hard to blame Grogu for being cautious. In fact, Greef Karga almost betrayed them too, but he had a change of heart, because Grogu saved him.

Over the course of just two days on Navarro, a lot have happened and a lot have changed. Not only Greef Karga got on their side completely, not only the Mandalorian concocted a plan to kill the Client and went through with it, but, unfortunately, Kuiil got killed, while protecting the child. The droid, on the other hand, actually saved Grogu from capture and brought him back to the good guys.

And then came _him_ – Moff Gideon, the one who actually wanted to get Grogu in his clutches. And because of him it almost looked like they would lose the Mandalorian. Seeing his guardian wounded in the head, on the verge of dying and instructing Cara to take the child to the Covert, Grogu felt an immense sadness. The wound itself could be cured, but it required the man to take off his helmet in front of strangers, and that was out of the question.

In that sad moment, when Cara was instructed to take him to Covert, Grogu finally learned the Mandalorian’s name – Din Djarin. And it was such a nice name… Grogu wanted to call his guardian this name, but it seemed that he wouldn’t get the chance. Frankly the situation was resolved without Din’s death – the droid that previously protected Grogu, managed to somehow heal the wound and get the man back into action.

But the most curious thing happened when they’ve got to the Covert. They learned that the Mandalorian tribe was almost completely gone – some of them were massacred, others, hopefully, escaped, however, the Armorer stayed. And while she was working on the armors of fallen Mandalorians, she told Din about the Jedi. For Mandalorians the Jedi were ancient enemies, but the Armorer specified that the child who Din rescued and taken care of was not the enemy, according to Mandalorian creed – he was a foundling that was to be protected.

 _By creed, until he is of age or reunited by his own kind, you are as its father. This is the Way_ – that’s what she said and then she gave Din a signet. From now on he and Grogu were a Clan of Two.

There was something tempting in the perspective of being a Mandalorian. Partly because Grogu learned to respect their ways, so different than those of the Jedi, and yet, in their own right, noble; and partly because he grew to love Din like a father. The life of just two of them sounded not so bad – at least with Din Grogu felt safe and had sense of belonging.

But Din was determined to find the Jedi – not because he wanted to get rid of Grogu, but because he felt it was right thing to do. The boy could sense that the man wanted to give him safe place to live and grow. But the Mandalorian didn’t have to say much for Grogu to realize that deep down he didn’t want them to part either. There was a void in him – a deep sadness and loneliness that the child was filling in. If only Grogu could talk, he would tell him how he wanted to stay with him forever; how he wanted for them to be a family they both needed; and how he would like to see his father’s face one day.

And so, when they’ve finally found Ahsoka Tano and Grogu got to finally tell his story to someone who would understand him, he told her about all the pain he has experienced and all of what Din have done to him… but he also told her one other thing:

_I don’t want to be a Jedi._

_I want to be a Mandalorian._

He was grateful that she told Din his name. It was the high time for him to know it and to use it. And the way he was saying it made Grogu happy inside, because in his mouth it sounded nice and right. Grogu had to get used to being called by that name again, but what batter way to do it, than when his father was calling him?

Grogu was also grateful that Ahsoka Tano refused to train him. And that even if Din was so determined to bring him to Jedi, she gave them some more time together by advising the Mandalorian to find the Jedi Temple on Tython. And frankly, some part of Grogu wanted to not reach into the Force and search for the Jedi to train him, but Din told him something which made him reconsider it:

_When the nice lady said you’ve had training, I just… You’re… very special, kid. We gonna find that place you belong and they’re gonna take a really good care of you._

Din was clearly sad that they were have to part ways, if the Jedi would appear, but he wanted for Grogu to grow stronger and develop his talent. For now Grogu was mostly defenseless child and the Force was his only strength. He couldn’t properly protect himself, not to mention Din or anyone else he cared about or wanted to protect in the future. What kind of Mandalorian he would be if he couldn’t fight?

Maybe there was a way to be both a Jedi and the Mandalorian. Maybe there was a precedent, maybe there was a way to connect both of those worlds. Maybe Grogu could be that way.

And so, on the Stone of Seeing, he reached into the Force.

And he soon grew to regret it, because he has been taken away by Moff Gideon once again. The next few days were ones of the worst in his life, but this time he knew from the experience that Din will come for him; that he will do anything to find him and save him. If there was one thing Grogu was certain about his father by now, it was that this fierce protectiveness will guide him to his child and even garner him some allies. Until then Grogu had to endure being a test subject and a tool in Gideon’s plan.

And soon enough Din came for him and even fought for him with Moff Gideon, but not before Gideon said something interesting. He said that Grogu had such an immense power he could bring balance to the galaxy. And it got the kid thinking… if he had such power, maybe he should continue his training; maybe his destiny was to use his abilities for good of others. It would meant embracing being a Jedi… but it also probably meant leaving Din.

And then, when Din managed to defeat Gideon and take him and Grogu to others, there came couple of problems. First one was, of course, the issue of the Darksaber being in possession of Din and what it meant for the Mandalore. Din wasn’t the kind of man who would be hangry for power; who would dream of glory. He didn’t care about great politics; he only cared about two things – the safety of his son and about being true to his creed. Grogu once again found out that his father was an admirable man, because he tried to just give the Darksaber to Bo-Katan… but the problem was that it had to be earned in the battle in order for Bo-Katan to be considered a legitimate ruler of the Mandalore. And they both didn’t want to fight.

The other, more pressing problem was that the Dark Stormtroopers were after them and there was no way only couple of people, armed with blasters, could fight them off or even survive.

But then came _he_ – a Jedi that heard Grogu’s plea and came to their rescue. Watching him fighting off the Dark Stormtroopers, using Force and a lightsaber in such a masterfully manner, made Grogu reconsider his stance on Jedi once again. Because this particular Jedi was like an unstoppable force; like a one-man army getting through all this trouble just to help them. Because that’s what he ought to do; because Grogu and others needed help. In some ways, this Jedi was like Din and he represented everything Grogu could be with proper training and guidelines.

Grogu didn’t want to be a Jedi.

But if he had to be one, he wanted to be like _this_ Jedi.

And so came the time to finally say goodbye. Neither of them wanted to say goodbye; neither of them wanted to part… but they both knew it had to be done, if Grogu was going to learn how to defend himself and others. So, when it came the time for them to part ways, Din did something unexpected – he picked Grogu up and took his helmet off. The boy could finally see his father’s face… and what a beautiful face it was! There was so much love in that face and Grogu couldn’t help, but touch it with his hand – unsurprisingly, it felt warm and soft.

It was actually a confirmation of what they both knew for quite some time – they were a one clan now, the Clan of Two. And what was going to happen next, will never change that.

Grogu was sad that he was seeing his guardian’s face for the first time in such a sad moment, but Din told him they will meet again someday. And if his father was saying that they will meet again, it meant that they will meet again. The boy knew he was going to eagerly await that day. Hopefully, when it happen, Grogu will be stronger and able to talk.

So yeah, Grogu was going to become a Jedi.

But somewhere deep within his core he was going to be a Mandalorian too.


End file.
